How Can a Dental Assistant Demonstrate Professionalism during their Studies?
Dental assistants are a vital part of every dentist's office: if they don't excel at their job, patient care suffers. That's why it's important to hone your professionalism as early as possible (i.e. while you're still in school!). Here are a few things all dental assistants should be prepared to do and some ways you might practice them during your training.
Respect People's Time
As a dental assistant, scheduling will be highly important for you. You'll be helping doctors take care of a stream of patients throughout the day, most of whom will arrive by appointment and expect to be seen after their designated time. It's up to you to make sure this happens.
This means practicing responsible booking when making appointments, sterilizing equipment ahead of time, keeping things organized so that everyone has access to the tools they need, and other proactive measures that will prevent unnecessary holdups. It also means recognizing that taking too long to come back from your lunch break or calling in sick has an impact on other people, and that you should minimize your need to do so as much as possible.
In order to practice this, make sure you keep yourself punctual during school: submit all assignments on time, go to class on time, and never miss a class if you can help it. Establishing good habits now will make it much easier to continue them later on when they count for your employment.
Study Up
The more technical knowledge you have, the more useful you'll be to the dentist you are assisting. Not only will you be able to tackle more situations with less guidance from them, but they will also be able to speak freely in technical terms without having to explain as much to you. Mastering simple things like tooth numbering systems, the exact scientific mechanisms behind tooth decay and the pros and cons of different types of dental fillings can really help keep things running smoothly and improve patient care.
In addition, if you have an in-depth understanding of these things, you'll have a much easier time explaining to these things to patients in a way they can understand and correcting any misconceptions they might have.
So, do extra reading when you can and make sure you give your full attention to all your courses, even the ones you don't find especially interesting. You should aim to develop a well-rounded knowledge base that will allow you to answer any basic question you or any patients might have.
Cultivate Empathy
Going to the dentist can be extremely stressful for some people - enough so that many will avoid it altogether until they absolutely cannot continue to do so. A good dental assistant understands this and can make their patients feel comfortable during examinations, cleanings and other procedures. This can mean the difference between a person allowing their oral health to degrade or actually keeping up with their dental needs, so don't underestimate its importance!
Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes when you're interacting with someone; what might they be thinking and feeling? What would help you to feel better in that situation? Try to keep that in mind instead of becoming frustrated or anxious because things aren't going as you would like. It's up to you to keep calm and help this person overcome their fears so they can work on their oral health.
Keep Up, Physically
Dental assistants fill a very multi-layered role that can include everything from receptionist's duties to actually administering treatments like dental fillings. While you usually won't be doing as much hands-on work as, say, a dental hygienist, you'll still be on your feet most of the day and occasionally doing bending, lifting, and delicate work with your hands. This sort of work can seriously wear down your body unless you take proactive steps.
Pay attention to the practical demonstrations you see in school and think about what parts of your body might be strained by those activities. Then, find exercises that allow you to strengthen those areas and make them more resistant to that strain.
Also, be sure to pay attention to any safety guidelines outlined during class, as these will include ergonomic techniques you can use to minimize your chances of injury while performing the tasks your job requires. These precautions should ensure that you can continue to your job at peak performance for a long time to come.
Are you interested in becoming a dental assistant? If you want to earn an Associate of Applied Science in Health Science with a Focus in Dental Assisting, ECPI University offers this program at an accelerated rate. For more information on this exciting degree, connect with a helpful admissions advisor today.
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Gainful Employment Information – Dental Assisting - Associate’s
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